It hurts to be near, yet so far
by dreamland4
Summary: Gwen reflects as she watches Arthur dancing with another Princess, feelings are spoken. I own nothing, but I hope you like it.
1. Chapter 1

**Comments: Again a little bit angsty thank you for reading.**

As she watches him, laughing and twirling around the dance floor with another lady much finer in looks and clothes than her .... another piece of her heart crashes to the floor. Does he know the pain it causes each time another lady or princess arrives here and claims his attention? Another turn around the floor and his eyes find mine...the way he looks at me is like an arrow piercing her heart and she grips her chest.

Life was not meant to be like this, she was living on the edge of a fairytale....not able to turn the page to make it a reality. Her heart and body ached to feel something, to feel a touch, a kiss, anything but just a look...she couldn't breathe.

Her father dances across her mind and as if he was standing next to her now, she could imagine the words that would drift from his mouth. "Take your head from the clouds Gwen, find someone more obtainable" She felt like laughing, that is what she thought about Lancelot, but where was he now? She looked at him again as the lady he held leaned her head back and laughed at an unknown joke and a realisation dawned on her...she couldn't do it anymore, she couldn't carry on looking at him, praying that one day the world would not look so cruelly on their love. The truth was their love was forbidden and that is where it needed to remain, she needed to be able to breathe again to be able to feel the simple pleasures in life...she had to move on, so he could move on and marry one of these worthy ladies. She needed to leave for the sake of Camelot for the sake of her heart.

Her eyes burned with tears and her heart screamed in pain but her mind was made up, she took one final look at him and walked out of the hall. She kept walking through corridors, doors...until she finally made it out to a balcony over looking Camelot and took a painful breath....the tears welled up and her heart finally broke, the pieces dropping to the ground below in the tears that escaped from her eyes.

The next morning she woke up, her bed stained with tears...no more thought and stood up. Her fingers traced the wooden box her dad had carved for her, today was a new day, she planned not to confront him, but to just allow them to drift apart by allowing distance. She would talk to the head of the servants and get taken off the royal list and she would fill the hours between helping Gauis with a more local job, she knew enough people to secure a position quickly.

That way she would hardly see him and maybe after a long time, she would be able to move on and meet her less royal Prince Charming.

"But Gwen you have worked with us since you were a child...you are my best" Ms Anna pleaded with her, Gwen was her most popular and efficient maid, to lose her services was a loss indeed.

"Thank you for your kind words, but I have made up my mind" she took a deep breath and stood tall.

"Are you alright?" Ms Anna reached out to touch her arm.

"I am" she tried smiling although her heart would not allow her smile to reach her eyes.

"Very well, should you need anything my door is always open" she turned and left.

She had taken a job on the outskirts of town at the local school as a teacher, It had many benefits as it came with accommodation over the school, which meant she had little chance of anyone visiting her and for now she needed her distance.

Arthur looked out of the window, he had not seen her in 3 weeks, 5 days and about 14 hours...not that he had been counting. He had tried walking past her house in hope of a glimpse of her, but he didn't have such a pleasure, his heart ached to see her.

"Merlin...where is Guinevere?" Merlin thought about it, he had been so busy with the royal visit he had not seen her at all for ages.

"I don't know, I have not seen her in weeks" he continued picking up his clothes from the floor. The last time he saw Gwen was walking in town a few weeks ago.

Arthur stared at him causing Merlin to call to action "I will find out" he put the clothes on his bed and went off to find Gwen.

He asked around and when he found out that she had given up her position in the castle, he felt sick that he had not been there for his friend in a time of need.

Gauis told him, that she worked somewhere else now, but he did not know where, but that her work had meant she could not help him anymore, which had made him very sad.

Merlin could not believe it, he went to her house "Gwen?" her house had not been touched, he wiped the table and the dust covered his fingers. He felt awful, she had left her father's home and her long standing position, she must be really in need of a friend now.

He went into her drawer and picked out a handkerchief and closed his eyes, his eyes glowed as the words came out of his mouth and as he looked onto the simple cloth a map now glowed on it.

She was at the lower town school, he put the cloth in his pocket and set off.

He watched from the back of the class room as the children laughed and she danced around in circles and they followed laughter filing the air. If he thought about it, he had not seen her this happy in months...she had left Arthur, to move on with her life and he could not blame her.

The laughter stopped and Merlin realised he had been discovered. "Merlin" she walked towards him, her heart beating faster, she looked behind him to make sure he was alone and relaxed a bit.

"Gwen" he pulled her into a hug. "You didn't make it easy to find you" he whispered into her hair.

"That was the plan" he pulled back from her.

"Can we talk?" he asked not sure if she would even want to talk to him.

"I have a break in half an hour, if you can wait?" A smile lit Merlin's face, she had missed her friend.

"Of course" he didn't leave instead he wandered towards the children in a gesture to help her.

They wandered through the lower town "You know you would make an excellent teacher" he had been very good at telling stories to the children, even making the noises of the animals.

"It is only because I have the same mental age" they both laughed, Merlin put his arm through hers.

"Now...first off, I want to apologise for not being there when you needed me...I am a rubbish friend and I give you permission to put me in the stocks!" she laughed.

"Merlin...you will never be a terrible friend, in fact you are the best" his smile lit up the sky.

"Thought so" their laughter soon turned to silence, which Merlin finally broke "It's him isn't it...that's why all this?" he gestured around.

"No it's me...I needed a change, to start a normal life" she looked down and fiddled with her hands. "I realised that I could not stand on the edge of the dance floor in life anymore, I needed to dance, to laugh, to feel something...I can't with something so impossible"

Merlin reached out and covered her hand with his "Is there anything I can say to get you to return?" What he was really asking was if there was anything he could get Arthur to do.

She closed her eyes "No...please don't tell him where I am, not yet" she needed to be stronger before she faced him.

"Can I come and see you?" not sure if her leaving Arthur was also leaving him as well.

Gwen pulled him into a hug "Always" she had missed Merlin, the way they used joke around during the day whilst folding laundry or completing another mundane task.

As he walked away from her he felt his heart break at the gravity of a situation. His two friends loved each other, the kind of love that most people dream of. But the world they lived in did not accept differences...that is why he could never reveal his magic, because although he may only use it for good...Uther's world would not understand it.

As he walked up the steps of the castle he did not look forward to telling Arthur. The prince had lots of issues with speaking what was in his heart and Guinevere had started to chip away at his hard exterior and reveal who he really was. He took a few deep breaths as he knocked on his door.

Arthur stood up straight away, his own inquiries not finding out where Guinevere was.

"WELL" he approached him immediately.

"She has given up her position in the castle" Arthur looked hurt and confused.

"She's left?...where is she? How long ago did she leave?" he moved around picking up his sword, ready to make whatever journey to get her back.

"Arthur, she has um..."

He turned to face him "Um what?" his finger raised to poke him.

"She has left you, us...she wants a normal life" Arthur looked down taking in his words.

"Is she with him?" he didn't need to say his name.

"No" he waited for it, for the inevitable explosion but it did not happen he just slumped in his chair deflated.

"Has she left Camelot?" he asked, but did not look at him. Merlin could see his eyes were no longer clear and bright but swirling in emotions.

"No" he looked at his feet...please don't ask where she is.

"Did she not say anything before she left?" he wondered if there were a hidden note, something he had done wrong to make amends for.

"No" he didn't want to tell him that he had seen her, he had promised Gwen he would not.

Arthur finally looked at Merlin "Do you know where she is?"

"No" he looked away from his gaze.

Arthur knew he was lying...he needed to gather his thoughts and find her.

It took a further month to get the information out of Merlin, he was exhausted and he finally broke down and told him.

By the time he found out, he was at his wits end...he had not realised how much a simple gaze from her made it possible for him to wake up and get on with his day. Without her it hurt everyday, his eyes burned to see her purple dress, her eyes, her face anything. He had a thirst that all the water in Camelot could not quench, he needed her as much as he needed the air that filled his lungs. Before Merlin had told him, he had taken to walking the lower town and every time he got a glimpse of purple he would turn and follow...he needed to find her, to tell her the feelings that beat in his heart but had not ventured from his lips.

He watched her for a while playing with the children and laughing, he took a deep breath as if from his vantage point he could smell her, he needed to go in there take her into his arms and kiss the distance away.

The gasps from the children could be heard before she looked up to find Arthur standing in the doorway of the simple hut.

She didn't look into his eyes, she couldn't she just bowed "My lord" in an act that felt so familiar, but yet so strange now.

She heard him sigh.

The children stared at him in awe and even her assistant Arabel could not help but stare at him.

He got closer to her, well as close as he could between the children, crowded around her.

"May we speak?" he asked timidly, her eyes had not met his, he felt the wall between them and he hated it.

"I..am unavailable at the moment" she looked at the children instead, she couldn't look at him...she would break.

He shook his head "I will wait until you are available" he was not going to leave now, he wanted to hold her.

He went to the corner of the room and sat down his arms crossed, he would not leave this place until she spoke to him and it hurt that she could not look at him.

Gwen could not believe it, he had come and now was not leaving but sitting in the corner of the class, her eyes rose to his and luckily he was deep in thought and did not notice. He looked different, older maybe...but his appearance still took her breath away. His golden hair, his blue eyes, his arrogant and princely stance...he was like the sun.

"You are staring" Arabel broke her gaze.

She shut her mouth and went to tending to the children. The whispers of the children could be heard the prince had come.

"SILENCE" she shouted at them for the first time ever, due to the intensity of the situation.

The children all stood up at her commanding voice. "Now where were we?"

She tried to focus on the page of the old book she had in her hand, she tried to avoid looking back at him, each minute reading the book going too fast towards a conversation that she didn't feel strong enough to have.

The bell rang and the children started to leave. Gwen watched as a little girl wandered up to Arthur.

"Excuse me Sir...are you him?" she looked like she had been dared to go up and ask.

"With whom do you speak?" he sat up.

Her words seem to stumble out of her mouth under the gaze of his blue eyes "Prinnce...prince Arthur"

"I am...and your name is?"

She fiddled with her hair "My name is Leana, my lord"

He took her little hand and placed it to his lips "Then my lady it is a pleasure to meet you"

The little girl nearly passed out and Gwen smiled, he had a way to melt any womens heart.

The girl took her hand as if it was floating away from her body and left red faced.

"You really should not break their hearts so young" she tried to start the conversation light hearted.

He shook his head "I hardly think her heart has been affected by a simple kiss" she closed the gap between them.

She tried to look just past him not in his eyes, because if she did that would be it and she would lose all resolve. "On the contrary a simple kiss from a prince, will fill the young girl with aspirations above her station"

He sighed and behind her he could see the young women tidying up.

"You may leave" he gestured to the young women, he wanted to be on his own with her.

Arabel looked at Gwen who nodded and gave her a 'sorry' look as she left. Arthur was not good at subtly at all.

When the door closed, the air became thick between them and she dared to look into his eyes, his blue eyes were unreadable and his jaw set.

"You work here now?" start simple he thought.

"As you see" she took a few deep breaths.

"You didn't feel the need to inform me?" he grinded his teeth and it reminded her of the days long past in her home, when she had told him a few home truths.

"I hardly think a prince needs troubling with a servants work choice" she looked away from him.

"Guinevere" there it was as the name rolled off his tongue, her heart broke again. Why did he do that, how dare he come here and undo her in the mention of her name.

"Why did you leave?" he reached out to touch her hand and she moved it away, her action hurt him and his eyes showed it as she looked at him.

"What do you want me to say?".

"Well...how about telling me why you left?" he put his hands in his pocket to stop them from touching her.

"I left because it was the right thing to do"

"Right, for who?" he felt angry now.

"For me"

"Did I do something wrong?" not happy with her explanation.

She turned away, she needed to step away from him... did he do anything wrong, yes he did. He grabbed her arm "TELL me what I did wrong, tell me so I can take it back"

She laughed "You cannot take it back" she pulled her arm from his.

He wouldn't let her go, he span her round to face him "TELL ME" he felt like shaking her, if he had wronged her in anyway, he needed to know.

The blood boiled in her "YOU cannot take back the first kiss you gave me to the last look that held my gaze...YOU can take nothing back, the only thing you can do Is leave me be, Arthur" the tears started forming in her eyes and she looked away from him.

"I am sorry for kissing you, I am sorry for caring about you....please Guinevere....whatever you want me to do I will do"

She made herself look at him, this was going to be hard but it was necessary. "You cannot see me again, we dabbled in an impossible dream and now I want to lead a normal life away from glances and stolen moments....you are prince go and find your Queen"

His heart broke and in amongst his perfect blue eyes a river that refused to flow was beginning to surface. "I cannot" he reached out and grabbed her arm again. "Please Guinevere...you say I should have a normal life that I should meet a queen, but I cannot. You are the only person I want...please understand this isn't easy for me"

She just snapped.

"Isn't easy for _you_, dancing with ladies and princesses while I wait from the sidelines and watch my heart break as the man I ....._ care_ about dances with others. You say it is not easy for you Arthur, but for me caring for you is a death sentence and each day is nearer to the end. I need something more and you cannot provide that" he just stared at her so she continued on "Go find your princess, don't look back to what cannot be, leave now and let me be able to breathe, let me live a normal life"

She got out of his hold and made her way out of the back door, the tears fell as she ran up to her room.

He stood there numb and a tear fell down his face...he had not realised that his pointless laughing with the ladies as part of his duty had caused such harm. He was trapped in the role of a prince but also in a body of a man, who's every fibre loved her. It didn't take long for him to follow her.

Her found her in a small room looking out of a gap onto the town.

He closed the door and leaned himself against it "You say that your heart breaks every time you watch me dancing with those women, but mine also follows the same path. As Prince I may have to dance with them out of duty...but I take no pleasure in doing so, when the one person I want in my company, I cannot have"

He closed his eyes and searched for the right words to continue on. "I feel weak Guinevere, I feel a disappointment to all...because the man I am supposed to be, the Prince with all his titles and air's, I do not recognize anymore...I am in my heart Sir Willam you know that. You ask me to leave, but I cannot, I am a selfish man and each day without seeing you killing me"

He walked nearer to her and his hand reached for hers "If no words will sway you then I will go, but I would rather you pierce my heart with a sword, because without you this will not go on beating and death would become a welcome friend"

She turned around to look at him, both of their eyes awash with tears. "What would you have me do?"

He brushed a curl from her cheek "Just say you will not leave me, I will follow any command you give me...If you want me to tell my father I will go now and shout it from the streets my love for you...if you want us to leave together become Sir William and Guinevere I will pack and leave tonight...tell me what to do I am at you command" tears fell down his face as he begged her.

"I have no right to tell you anything" her eyes fixed on his.

"You own my heart and my soul what more right do you need?" his hand travelled to into her hair. "Just tell me Guinevere how I can make you happy and I will do it...just don't leave me, don't make me walk this life alone, I will not make it" his tears dropped down on her cheek. He felt weak without her, he couldn't help it he had never felt so venerable as he does now. He could not become king, he didn't have the strength without her.

"What about your destiny?" her voice broke.

"I give you my crown Guinevere, I give you everything that I am" he placed his forehead on hers, his eyes searching hers.

"You cannot"

"I already have" her rubbed her cheek.

Her lips captured his, he tasted every inch of mouth as they crashed together, knocking everything down as he took her onto her small bed. In between kisses and tears they remained in each others arms.

He had given himself to her and now the destiny of them and Camelot lay in her hands...she could not accept such a burden but she had forced him into a corner and now had to take the consequences. Should she ask him to leave with her, to leave the fate of Camelot in the hands of Uther! Her head swam as her head lay on his beating chest.

**Note: Not sure if I will add more on it yet, let me know what you think? Thank you.**


	2. Options

**Comments: Thank you for your reviews, I hope you like it....and thank you to Alice I for your help**

He looked onto the lower town, the stench of drunken men from the ale house filing his senses, the singing and crashing around had stolen him from sleep.

He turned to look at Guinevere sleeping, the moonlight through a small gap lighting her face. He wondered how she managed to affect him so; her beauty was undeniable...but there was something else, in her blood ran something thicker than the cheap wine of servants. She had inner nobility; an air about her that would put any royal family to shame. He had never met anyone so prone to surprising him and she did it everyday...she was a queen trapped in a body of a servant and he was a prince trapped in a body of a man, who wanted nothing more than to spend this day to the next in her arms.

When thinking back to when his love of Guinevere started, he always thought it was his time at Hunith's, the way she told him off, waking him up. But to say that the mere presence of Guinevere had not affected him in past would be a lie and he remembered the way she commanded his attention even when he was growing up. As a young man he had to admit he had always acted as a bit of bully, it was all about keeping face... but if she was near one simple look from her, would make him halt whatever action achieved that disapproving glare.

Another crash from below made him turn back to the window, she had said he should leave tonight, leave her here to think. But he could not, it was like asking his father to take the guards away from his most precious treasures!

He watched as two drunken men, staggered across the cobbled streets arm in arm. Was he destined to spend his life in establishments like this, as Sir William? Moving from town to town trying to avoid people knowing who he was, what kind of life could he provide her? He had money, that was never a problem...but safety was. He imagined his father finding out he had left, no doubt from a long winded note full of words that he normally would find difficult to escape from his lips. His father would of course search for him and if he was successful finding him, the outcome would not be favourable.

The other options did not seem much better either, telling his father face to face...his stomach churned at the thought. It was not that he was a coward, but he was a practical man...his father would believe such love would be witchcraft and from his previous record with women, who could blame him. He felt sick, all his years of training would not be able to keep her from that fate, but he would of course give his last breath to save her. Dying didn't scare him at all, but living without her did.

The other option was going back to how things were, but Guinevere had made it clear she would not accept that again...the truth was he didn't think he could either. He had managed to put up a wall, to try and remain the Prince for Camelot....he leaned his head back against the wall, _**Camelot**_!

And as if he could see the faces of the people walking past his mind, he thought what would happen if left solely in the hands of his father, who had more ease at making war than actually defending the walls. Camelot was his home, those walls the witnesses to his life, could he walk away? He looked back down to Guinevere and through his breaking heart the answer became clear.

"Arthur" Her hand touched his making him snap out of his thoughts.

"Sorry...I didn't mean to wake you" he lifted her hand to his lips.

She could see it in his eyes, the confusion running through his mind. She stood up and her hand reached for his cheek, she watched as his eyes closed as she caressed his skin.

"Come to bed" she felt like blushing with how that sounded, but their love was complicated and certainly not ready for simple sentences to be treated any differently.

She placed a kiss on his lips and led him back to bed.

He laid down first and she placed her head on his beating heart...did she have a right to own this? Of course she did not, and yet he gave it to her, _a servant_. All this time she thought of herself as a victim of his love, I guess deep down she presumed it was just an infatuation on his part, as with the many other maids that had crossed his path before...she had thought that his feelings would fade with distance. But last night he bared his soul to her and any doubt of his strength of feelings for her, washed away.

The gentle sound of snoring started as she thought of the options laid before her. The first option she rejected straight away, telling Uther directly and expecting a favourable outcome would be as warmly welcomed as Merlin performing a magic trick. She smiled, her best friend Merlin, whose special abilities may have alluded most of Camelot but did not escape her, she would of course not tell anyone but wait until he was ready and stand by his side. Her thoughts turned back to Uther finding out his only son had fallen in love with a servant and she felt her body heat up, as if she could feel the outcome of that option upon her.

Option two...leave and become Sir William and Guinevere. Part of that appealed to her, in the sense that she could marry Arthur and walk around hand in hand with no fear of what others might think. But to think life would be that simple would be foolish indeed, they would wander the land, but a shadow would follow them and that shadow would not just be Uther, although she knew he would not give up on his son that easily! But something bigger, the fate of Camelot. She would have Arthur with her in body, but in spirit he would be walking the streets of Camelot defending it from unknown foes. He was a prince and his destiny was to become the greatest King this land to the next had seen; the man she dreamed of and most of Camelot dreamed of. Did she have the right to take that away for love? She had spent most of life not being selfish and until her most recent act it had been untainted, but now could she steal away Arthur? No she could not.

So what was the answer, for her to move back to Camelot... limited to a life of longing looks and occasional kisses hoping that one day, Uther would die. What kind of life was that? It was a half life, but if she was to become Queen and stand by his side then she had to start acting like one and to do that Camelot would need to come first. She thought back to that day and Arthur dancing around with fine women and the pain started up again, she would need to become tough, to wear her armour everyday to protect her from the fatal blow that hovers so near to her beating heart.

A tear escaped down her cheek and onto his tunic. Could she do that....could she die a little tomorrow just to hold onto the hope for a brighter future? She had to, there was no other reasonable option; not one that she could accept or should accept! He is Prince Arthur and she fell in love with who he is now and who he will become; to try and change him would be saying she didn't love him completely and she loved everything about him from his royal crown to his dirty brown boots. He was her prince charming.

So that was it; life would return to the way it was, but she would request a few simple differences. The first being she wanted to keep this job, it had been the first time she had felt she was making a difference. The second being a guarantee that he would try and not give her those looks that broke her in two, but would spend, when safe, a few moments together alone...to give her a reason to wake up and remind her the prize that waits for her at the end of all this.

It felt strange having come to a decision, it felt in some ways like moving backwards, to the beginning of this little journey. But in reality, her leaving had forced them to admit feelings that lingered in their heart but feared to escape from their lips.

The next morning as the sun rose, Guinevere looked out to town. A large pair of arms wrapped around her waist and she leaned back onto his hard chest.

"Good morning Guinevere" she closed her eyes and for a short moment she could imagine that the view before her was that of the courtyard at the castle and she and Arthur were watching their people go about their business, and she could see the smiles of their faces created by the protection only a fair queen and king could provide.

"Good morning my prince"

He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I thought I was William?"

"Always" her hands covered his and she sighed.

"Good" he placed a kiss on her head.

"I thought much last night on us, and our future" she could feel his heart beat faster behind her.

"Well I await your command" the next few minutes seemed like an eternity to him, her words being his end.

"I...I believe our only course of action is to do nothing"

"Nothing?" he turned her around in his arms to see her.

"I could not ask you to become Sir William, you are not that man and I should not wish it so. You are the Crown Prince of Camelot and to ask you to become anything less is like asking me to not help anyone in need; it is not within you! So we do nothing apart from wait until one day you become King Arthur and you are allowed to chose your queen, and if at that time you still want me I will be there by your side waiting."

He felt so many emotions at the point that he could not speak. He had expected her to want William, a simple life of love, but of course she would not be so selfish.

He watched as she fiddled with her hands. "Of course I want you as queen...but, you left because it was not enough?" he needed to know she would not leave again.

"It was not, so I have a few requests." She looked away from his blue eyes to help her find the words.

"Of course"

"I want to see you more often. I know it is not easy, but maybe a few more moments so we do not have to suffer with mere looks." She bit her lip; this was awkward.

His hand reached out and traced her lips with his finger "Of course, I would have it no other way...anything else?"

"I want to stay here, I enjoy working with the children..." she didn't get to finish.

"NO!" He could not allow her sleeping here each night, this part of town was not safe at all.

"Arthur, I know this area is probably not the best, but that is not a reason to leave. It is more reason to stay. The children have responded so well to my teachings; most of them could not read a word when they first came, and now they are making progress. These children are our future, so I am staying."

She watched as he folded his arms and narrowed his eyes and she matched his stance.

"I cannot allow you to be here, Guinevere, it is not safe."

"I have been here nye on a month! So far trouble has not crossed my path."

She is so infuriating and attractive. He watched as she stood taller, matching him like two lions circling. "You cannot sleep _here_!" he looked around with a slight look of disgust.

"Agreed, I will sleep at home." She heard him sigh; she was definitely winning this one.

"Agreed, but measures will have to be taken to secure your safety." He imagined this would be what it was like when they were wed; Guinevere getting her way because he could not deny her anything, he doubted any man could!

"No special treatment is needed...it's not..."

His hands stopped her. "I have given my rules, take them or I carry you back over my shoulder," he said, with a smile.

"You would not dare?" Her eyes opened wide, with visions of her being carried through town.

"Agree, or test my resolve in this matter!" He stood taller, but his eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Alright, but please do it discreetly."

He leaned her down into a passionate embrace. When he finally stole his lips from hers, her whole body felt like it was floating away and her mouth remained open, her lips tingling. "I shall see you later."

He turned to leave, before he left a serious expression crossed his face. "Thank you, Guinevere" He didn't need to explain; she had taken the only reasonable option when it came to them, but it did not stop a tear escaping down her face as she watched him walk away.

Subtlety was not one of his strong points, late in the afternoon the Army of Camelot started setting up posts through the lower town. No doubt he had spent the afternoon arguing with his father about the safety of Camelot.

Arthur came through the wooden doors of the school, as the children started to leave. "My lady." He took her packed bags, and walked with her through town. She noticed all the new additions to her view; the royal seal not concealing anything. "I think I mentioned _discreetly,_" she grumbled.

Arthur laughed "When it comes to your safety, subtly is not my strength."

She laughed and all the way back to her home. They spoke with the kind of ease that could be expected of a man and wife; maybe they could cope with life in the shadows _for now..._when any future with him sparkled like the sun.


End file.
